Reflections

Reflection: The Lord’s Ascension

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / May 19, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection: The Lord’s Ascension

Acts 1:1-11. Theme: “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.” Exegetical observation. Lk 24:51 reports: “he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.” Acts 1 reports with more details: v.3 “during forty days” Jesus was appearing to his disciples “speaking of the Kingdom of God;” v.9…

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Reflection: 6th Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / May 14, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection: 6th Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; 1 Pt. 3:15-18; Jn 14:15-21 The Gospel today is part of the Last Supper discourse as presented by John. The first to remember for all disciples of Jesus is what was already inculcated in Dt 11:1 “Love the Lord your God, therefore, and always heed his charge, his statutes, decrees and commandments.”…

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Protecting Our Health, Healing Our Earth

By Bro. Tagoy Jakosalem, OAR / May 11, 2020 / Comments Off on Protecting Our Health, Healing Our Earth

Our health is facing an untraceable enemy, destroying our humanity, the total global death toll lately is: 275,000 dead. These are not numbers, these are persons. The infections of the coronavirus become more dangerous, as they did not only inflict harm on our health, but also, “the COVID-19 crisis is threatening social cohesion within countries,…

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Reflection: 5th Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / May 7, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection: 5th Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Acts 6:1-7; 1 Pt. 2:4-9; Jn. 14:1-12 As we approach the Ascension of the Lord, the Mother Church presents to us the Lord’s own words on the reality of our future after this earthly life. “In my Father’s house there are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you… Then I will come…

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Reflection on the 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / April 29, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection on the 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, Cycle A

Acts 2:14. 36-41; 1 Pt. 2:20-25; Jn. 10:1-10. Right in the Book of Genesis, we find Abraham in a pastoral civilization, with herds of camels, oxen and sheep. They were a nomadic people moving with their flocks along rivers where they had grazing ground. Thus the image of a shepherd was most familiar to them.…

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Reflection on the 3rd Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / April 22, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection on the 3rd Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Acts 2:14.22-33; 1 Pt. 1:17-21; Lk. 24:13-35 Luke’s Gospel is centered on Jerusalem. It begins with Zechariah serving at the temple in Jerusalem and the Archangel Gabriel announcing the birth of John the Baptist and ends up with the Apostles in Jerusalem after the Ascension awaiting the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Salvation…

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2nd Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / April 17, 2020 / Comments Off on 2nd Sunday of Easter, Cycle A

Acts 2:42-47; 1 Pt. 1:3-9; Jn 20:19-31 Last Thursday, Lk 24 showed us the hands and feet of Jesus, and we also saw Jesus eating the presence of the Apostles. Today we see some additional quality of the resurrected Jesus, he came and stood in their midst even when the doors were locked, and again…

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“He is not here; he is risen.” Reflection on the celebration of Easter Sunday

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / April 7, 2020 / Comments Off on “He is not here; he is risen.” Reflection on the celebration of Easter Sunday

Acts 10:34a, 37-43; 1 Cor. 5:6b-8; Jn. 20:1-9 While John names only Mary Magdalene going to the tomb early at dawn, and Mathew names another Mary with her, Mark would name Salome, and Luke would name Joanna as a third witness at the tomb. While all the other evangelists would narrate post resurrection apparitions, Mark…

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Reflection on the celebration of Palm Sunday

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / April 2, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection on the celebration of Palm Sunday

On this day the Church celebrates Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem to accomplish his paschal mystery. There he would be arrested, imprisoned, falsely accused, condemned, scourged, crowned with thorns, burdened with the cross, pushed around, nailed to the cross, would die and be buried. It was also there that he would triumph by his resurrection. Jerusalem…

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Reflection on the 4th Sunday of Lent, Cycle A

By Fray Hubert Dunstan Decena, OAR / March 16, 2020 / Comments Off on Reflection on the 4th Sunday of Lent, Cycle A

1 Sm 16:1b,6-7,10-13a; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41. After smearing the clay on the eyes of the blind man, Jesus commanded him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. In many occasions Jesus simply said the word and the person was healed. To the daughter of Jairus, Jesus took her hand and commanded, “Little…

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